911Never Forget
by ChildOfWisdom
Summary: Percy and his beautiful wife Annabeth go to Ground Zero to pay their respects to all the people who died on this day. They will never be forgotten. Percy also experiences something that finally eased his pain. We Will Rise From The Ashes. Never Forget, 9-11.


**To all those people who died in the tragic terrorist attack in the Twin Towers on 9/11.**

**We will never forget you.**

Percy's POV

Ground Zero was crowded with a sea of people. I heard their cries, shared their tears, and felt their suffering. I stood in the middle of the crowd, standing next to my wife, as they read off the names of everyone who was killed in this attack in 2001. My heart sank as they list continued to be read, it seemed as if it would go on forever…how could all these innocent people die? Why did my mother have to be one of them?

I stared at the huge hole where the first tower used to stand. It was now made into this beautiful water fall, in honor of all those who were in this building and perished. I knew my mother's name was somewhere along the edges of it, but I couldn't find it. I think it's better if I didn't. It would be too much for me to handle.

My eyes got watery of the thought of my mother. She was the kindest women alive. I remembered her warm brown eyes and her long brown hair. I remembered the blue cookies she would make me on my birthday, the blue cake, the first time I left to Camp Half-Blood…her beautiful smile. My breath began to get shaky. So many names, so many. Why did this have to happen? Why did my Mother have to leave me?

I felt someone grab my hand and give it a gentle squeeze. I looked to my side to see my beautiful wife, Annabeth Chase. Her curly blonde hair moved slightly in the wind as her stormy grey eyes looked at me, filled with worry and sadness. I didn't want her to be sad too. She was from California, but she knew people who had worked there…people who were also killed. I tried my best to smile at her, failing horribly in the process, but I managed to kiss her forehead and wrap one arm around her shoulder.

In my hand was a small book Annabeth had bought from a street vender.

_**The Freedom Towers**_.

That was the title on the top, in big red letters. That's what they were planning to make, four freedom tours to take the place of the original Twin Towers. Annabeth was one of the main architects, assigned to design these marvelous buildings. That made me a bit happier, knowing she was going to create the buildings that would tell everyone: _We will not give up. We are still together. We will rise from the ashes as one and stand as one. America is the home of the free and the home of the brave. We will not go down. But we will always remember._

The man continued to read names, until one stuck out among all the others.

"Sally Jackson," He read then continues to read more names.

The tears I was trying to blink back, rolled down my face. My lip trembled a bit and I hid my face in Annabeth's lemon smelling hair. My sobs were as quite as I could make them. Memories of my mother started flowing back into my mind, haunting me like always. But I wasn't alone. Sobs of sisters, mothers, fathers, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members cried along with me, as they heard a familiar named being called or if they were haunted by memories, like me.

"Alexandra Wise," And the man continued.

Annabeth wrapped her hands around me, hugging me, and cried silently with me. That was Annabeth's older half-sister. Thalia told me they were close, and that Annabeth cried in her memory every year.

I looked up to the heavens, to see a beautiful blue sky looking back down at me. How could the sun still shine on a day like this? My heart answered that question for me. _We will get through this; the sky would be a living symbol of how we did._ Then suddenly, a red bird made of pure flames, flew across the sky at amazing speeds.

Being a demigod, I saw this. I had no idea what the mortals say, but they gasped.

_We will rise out of the ashes; we will rise out of the ashes._

**9-11 Never Forget 9-11 Never Forget 9-11 Never Forget 9-11 Never Forget 9-11 Never Forget 9-11**

After hours of standing in the same place, I took Annabeth's hand and we walked out of the labyrinth of crying people. As I walked, I saw their faces. Some were tear stained, some had tears falling and others just looked forward…with no expression at all.

I knew Annabeth was tired and hungry. No matter how much I wanted to stay, I needed to think of my wife first. Wouldn't want her starving to death, now would I? I shivered at the thought of Annabeth being dead, so I shook out the thought from my head.

We took a Taxi and silently rode it to our apartment. It wasn't that far away. We rode in silence; the only sound that could be heard was a Maroon 5 song that was playing on the radio. Annabeth laid her head on my shoulder and I felt her sigh. I intertwined my hand in hers and kissed her cheek.

We got out of the taxi and walked into our building. Annabeth opened the door with the key and I held it for her as she walked inside. A loud noise signified that the door had closed and a small _ding_ told me the elevator door opened. We rode the elevator to the third floor and walked to our apartment.

"What do you want to eat, Percy?" Annabeth asked.

Her voice had no emotion. It was lifeless and hollow; I bet all my money that mine was the same. I looked at how tired she was…We did wake up at 5 a.m to get a good place at Ground Zero. The traffic wasn't that bad because we took a taxi, but if we had taken our car it would have been horrible.

"No, don't worry about that, Anna. Go take a bath, I'll cook." I promised her.

"You sure?" She asked.

I smiled a bit and nodded.

"Go ahead."

She reluctantly walked away and into our room. I went to the kitchen to cook dinner, as I had promised, when something tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, thinking it was Annabeth being stubborn, but when I saw who it was I felt like I would die.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Percy, honey!" She exclaimed as she tackled me in a big bear hug.

I was shocked. This was her, it was her! I felt the warmth radiate of her body as she wrapped me in her arms. Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks as I got out of my shocked state and hugged my mother. I hugged her for that felt like hours, trying to capture this moment, and that a mental picture in my head. I really wanted time to stop right now…

"Percy, honey, they let me visit you, they finally did." She said as she gave me a huge kiss on my cheek.

"Mom," I said as I whipped a tear away with my finger. "Who let you come?"

"Hades and Poseidon, they gave me 5 minutes to visit you." She said.

I only had 5 minutes with my mom…I had to tell Annabeth.

"Annabeth! Annabeth, get out of the shower! Hurry!" I yelled down the hall.

I quickly turned around to make sure my mother wasn't gone. I took note of her appearance. She looked the same age she did when she died.

The bathroom door opened and Annabeth ran out in her bath robe.

"Percy what's going-" But she stopped taking when she saw my mother.

"Sally?" She asked, tears coming to her eyes.

"Annabeth, sweetheart!"

The two women that I loved most in my life hugged. My mother had always loved Annabeth, always. And Annabeth returned these feelings, saying that my mother was like the mother she never had.

"I am so glad I could see you two!" She said as she smiled.

She saw our expressions and she frowned a bit.

"Don't be sad, don't cry over me. Be happy! Happy that you both have each other and live life! Promise me that?" My mother said.

Suddenly I was filled with happiness. My heart felt over-joy and cheerful. I grinned widely and Annabeth did the same next to me. I looked at her and told myself how lucky I was to have her. The most beautiful girl in the world was mine and all mine…and I would never, ever lose her. I swear it.

"Mom, you're right," I told her as I looked her direction.

But when I looked, she wasn't there…

5 minutes had been gone that fast? No…no there was no way! No! I didn't have time to tell her that I loved her and that I missed her. But the crazy thing was…I didn't feel sad. I felt happy. My mother had come here to leave a blessing, to turn out tears into pearly white grins.

I hugged Annabeth and pulled her towards me, drying her in an instant. Maybe it's my turn to rise out of the ashes? To let the hurricane pass and wait for the rainbow that is coming.

I felt peace flow inside me…this is my turn.

I will never forget you mom, but remember this…one day, Annabeth and I will join you in the Elysium. We will be together…soon.

**In Memory of 9-11.**

**Never Forget.**

**(Posted on 9-11, 2012)**

**Review.**


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